Gadsden
The City of Gadsden may just very well be Sweet Home Alabama. Designated as the county seat of Etowah County in northeastern Alabama, Gadsden City offers the natural beauty of the Noccalula Falls to its visitors. At one point, the city was also hailed as the second most important industrial district, second only to the much larger Mobile City. While Mobile maintained a busy route for international trade, Gadsden City became a center for riverboats.
Gadsden also became known for its heavy industry, relying so much on companies such as Republic Steel and Goodyear Tire. Although this sector provided a boost on the city's economy, the nearly complete dependence of Gadsden on the heavy industry came with a cost. By the 1970s and 80s, they major industries closed down, driving the city into an inevitable crash. A lot of residents lost their jobs and small local businesses suffered losses. The deterioration of the Gadsden City had gotten so bad that it was even listed in 1989 as one of the seven worst cities to live in the United States.
Following the painful crash, the city decided to embark on a redevelopment project to turn its economic and social state around. It relinquished its heavy dependence on giant companies and pushed for a remodeling of the downtown area. Local structures such as the Center for Cultural Arts were also constructed.
The efforts of Gadsden City to reinvent itself eventually paid off. In 1991, it was recognized as the All-America City by the National Civic League. The award honors the different sectors of Gadsden who extended their help and worked together in order to come up with solutions to the city's most pressing problems. Nine years later, Gadsden garnered the top spot in the 2000 City Livability Awards Program. These recognitions are a testament to the major improvements that Gadsden has achieved since it suffered a heavy blow several decades ago.
Today, Gadsden has a population of around 40,000, more than 60 percent of which are White while 34 percent are Black. There are about 10,252 families and the median income for each is $31,740. more than 18 percent of these families or 22 percent of the population are still below the poverty line.
The Gadsden City Board of Education currently manages 14 schools in the city. There are eight elementary schools, three middle schools, two specialty schools, and one high school. Gadsden previously had three high schools which were merged in the 2006-07 academic year and became the Gadsden City High School. The city also its own community college.
Aside from the picturesque Noccalula Falls, Gadsden also has other local attractions which visitors will definitely find interesting. For music lovers and those who just want to enjoy a night of good musical performance, the Gadsden Riverfest is a great local event to check out. The Riverfest will be held on June 13 and 14 and will feature various bands and performers. The city also has a golf course, a children's museum, and the Talladega Superspeedway.